Chapter 13: The Reforging of Dragon Blood Sword

The faint glow of dawn seeped through the forest canopy as Jian Tian and Ren Moxi returned to their temporary forge site deep within Nine Devil Mountain. Jian Tian's injuries from the Bloodstone Guardian battle were nearly healed, thanks to a potent pill Ren Moxi had given him the previous night.

Kneeling before a stone slab, Jian Tian carefully arranged the Dragon Metal, Bloodstone, and his broken Dragon Blood Sword, once a proud spiritual weapon of the Dragon Slaying Sect.

Ren Moxi sat cross-legged nearby, his youthful face calm, eyes closed in silent meditation. His presence, however, exuded an ancient weight that seemed to bend the air around him.

"Master… how do we begin?" Jian Tian asked, trembling with excitement.

Ren Moxi slowly opened his eyes, revealing a flicker of abyssal light within.

"We begin by forging your will into the blade. Otherwise, even a divine weapon will remain a lump of metal."

He raised his right hand. A flickering flame, black at its core with golden-red edges, emerged and hovered above his palm.

"This is Hell Phoenix Flame, capable of melting Dragon Metal without corrupting its essence. Guide the forging process while I control the flame."

The Reforging Begins

Jian Tian crushed the Bloodstone into fine powder and sprinkled it over the cracked blade, chanting under Ren Moxi's instructions to merge its blood qi into the sword's damaged meridians.

When the Hell Phoenix Flame touched the metal, an unearthly cry echoed from within the sword, as though an ancient dragon trapped within roared in agony. The broken blade shook violently, glowing with crimson runes long hidden beneath rust and dirt.

"Steady your mind!" Ren Moxi commanded sharply.

Jian Tian forced his breath to calm as he picked up lumps of Dragon Metal, placing them over the sword. The Hell Phoenix Flame burned hotter, turning the metal into glowing molten streams that flowed into the blade's cracks, fusing seamlessly.

The forest dimmed as thick storm clouds gathered overhead, thunder rumbling faintly.

As the forging continued, a crimson pillar of light shot into the sky, piercing the clouds. Spiritual qi from miles around surged toward the forging slab, absorbed greedily by the reborn blade.

Animals fled in terror, sensing the awakening of an ancient slayer's aura.

Jian Tian grit his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he used his qi to inscribe final runes under Ren Moxi's dictation.

"One day… this sword will become my true strength… I will never let anyone take it away again…"

High in the dark clouds above, three figures floated upon swirling black qi platforms. Their robes fluttered with eerie stillness.

At their center stood Elder Ghost Fan, gaunt with sunken cheeks and skeletal fingers. His cloudy eyes gleamed with greed.

"Hoh… what a phenomenon. A mere youth forging a grade five spiritual weapon under primitive conditions."

His two companions, both Spirit Severing stage cultivators, remained silent. Their cold eyes locked onto the forging site below.

"Should we strike now, Elder Fan?" one asked.

Ghost Fan smirked. "No. Let them finish. An unfinished weapon is worthless. When they complete it, we claim it… and everything else."

Jian Tian's qi reserves were nearly depleted when Ren Moxi said softly:

"This is the final step. Imprint your life mark."

Jian Tian gathered his last remaining qi and pressed his bloodied palm onto the glowing blade.

BOOM!

Thunder cracked overhead as crimson light exploded outward in a massive wave, flattening nearby underbrush. The blade shone with dazzling brilliance, shedding molten fragments to reveal a sleek crimson-black sword engraved with draconic runes.

He collapsed to his knees, eyes wide with awe and tears.

"It's… beautiful…"

Ren Moxi smiled faintly. "You did well."

Suddenly, the forest fell silent.

Three shadows descended, landing softly on the mossy ground. Their auras pressed upon Jian Tian like crushing mountains.

Ghost Fan stepped forward, skeletal hands clasped behind his back, eyes gleaming with hunger.

"Well well… thank you for completing the forging for us," he rasped. "Hand over the sword… and everything else you possess."

His gaze turned to Ren Moxi, scanning him with faint unease.

"And you… young man… you conceal your cultivation well. Why not come back with us? I'll personally peel off your soul and uncover your secrets."

Jian Tian's blood ran cold. His legs trembled as he raised his sword in futile defiance.

"Master… what do we do…"

Ren Moxi sighed softly. The Hell Phoenix Flame vanished from his palm as he stood up, his eyes reflecting an unfathomable darkness.

"You people… never learn humility."

Ghost Fan's smile froze. His instincts screamed in primal terror.

"Kill the boy. Capture the young man alive!"

The two elders lunged forward, their spirit severing auras warping the air.

But in that instant, Ren Moxi flicked his fingers.

WHOOSH.

The space around them twisted. Without warning, both elders froze mid-charge. A thin black-red line appeared across their throats as their heads slid cleanly from their shoulders, eyes wide with shock.

Their nascent souls barely had time to scream before the Hell Phoenix Flame flickered out, devouring their remnants instantly.

Elder Ghost Fan staggered back, heart pounding with fear. "Y-you… what are you…"

Ren Moxi looked at him with cold indifference. "Dead."

He raised his palm. The Hell Phoenix Flame roared to life, wrapping Ghost Fan in a vortex of golden-black fire. The elder's scream was cut short as his body disintegrated into ash, leaving nothing behind.

Silence returned to the forest.

Jian Tian dropped to the ground, panting heavily, the newly forged Dragon Blood Sword clutched in his trembling hand.

"Master… thank you…"

Ren Moxi turned away from the ashes drifting in the morning wind.

"Remember, Jian Tian… your true enemies will not be so easily erased. Today's event is but a ripple in the pond. One day, storms will come that even you may not survive without strength."

Jian Tian nodded, determination burning in his chest.

"I swear… I will grow strong enough to protect everything and everyone I care about."

Above them, the clouds slowly cleared, revealing a morning sky tinted crimson by the forging's lingering radiance. The Dragon Blood Sword pulsed softly in Jian Tian's grip, resonating with its master's unwavering resolve.